The present invention relates to a novel and useful alignment mechanism for positioning of a replacement hub to a torque converter impeller for welding purposes.
Torque converters used in automobiles often require replacement of the hub portion which extends outwardly from the torque converter. The hub portion, which rides on a bushing, is damaged when the pump gears within the torque converter have worn out. In the past, a replacement torque converter has been installed in the automobile to correct this problem.
However, the impeller portions are generally reusable. Thus, replacement of a hub on the reusable impeller portion, or half, of a torque converter is a more efficient way of correcting a worn hub.
The typical replacement of the hub portion of a torque converter has proven to be difficult since the hub must be perfectly aligned along an axis which is perpendicular to the gear components found in a torque converter. Such alignment has often vexed mechanics attempting to perform this type of repair to a torque converter. In any case, the prior method of aligning a replacement hub with a reusable impeller portion of a torque converter was a tedious and painstaking process.
An alignment mechanism which quickly and easily positions a hub to a torque converter impeller for eventual welding of the hub to the torque converter impeller would be a notable advance in the automotive arts.